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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. roll — a cake
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. roll — a list
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — a trail
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fall — to drop
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. fall — to drop
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fall — the season
  24. patient — a sick person

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com